Landslide
by Crimson Coin
Summary: Sawyer is injured on a patrol of the fence line and makes a startling discovery about Juliet and the brand on her back. DharmaTime! Including a second chapter due to demand.
1. Chapter 1

**Title: **Landslide

**Author: **Crimson Coin

**Rating: **T

**Pairing: **Sawyer/Juliet

**Summary: **Sawyer is injured on a patrol of the fence line and makes a startling discovery about Juliet.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own LOST or any of these characters. I just like to screw with them a little.

**Note: **Requested by 'justawritier'.

* * *

Freaking

Damn

Stupid

Island

Sawyer stood on the porch of his Dharma home staring out at Dharmaville with all the Dharma people and cursed the Dharma day ahead of him. He and the crew had been on the island for almost five months. He couldn't believe they were so easily accepted; these people were too trusting, naïve. He didn't think he'd fit into the life here. The steady job, domestic life. He was used to running not settling. And yet here he was, standing in front of the home he shared with Juliet.

Home he shared with Juliet.

He never thought that would ever happen. Six months ago, he would have throttled her, shot her, tasered her. Sawyer grinned. Yeah, he would have tasered her. Just so she knew what it felt like. Sometimes in their conned domestic life, he was tempted to find a taser. Like when she didn't shut up about wearing muddy boots in the house. Or leaving the seat up on the toilet.

He chuckled to himself. Admittedly, he did that purposefully to get a rise out of her. She was just so damn sexy when she was angry and that creepy calm exterior slipped just slightly. So now, when he was sick of the domesticity, he would piss her off just for good measure.

Only maybe he shouldn't have pissed her off today. With the monsoon and all. Well he wasn't sure if it was technically a monsoon.

Sawyer sighed and leaned against the posts of the porch, arms crossed. The rain poured, torrential. The center of ol' Dharmaville now looked like a stream, water gushing down the hill and out towards the fence. Thankfully, the place was on a slight incline, ensuring no lakes formed. At least large ones. Winds at a minimum on the third day of rain, but it didn't make his job any easier. And though everyone else could stay home and relax and sleep, security still had to work. He still had two hours til his shift and really didn't want to be standing in the rain any longer than he had to.

But of course pissing off Juliet had him kicked out of the house and so he stood on the porch, watching the rain, dreading his patrol of the fence. He knew they shouldn't take the vans, the ground would be unsteady and likely a van would get stuck. And so he had to patrol on foot.

Great

A foot patrol in a monsoon. Although as Horace had said, 'The winds have died down so the storm has passed. This is the remnants of the rain. It should be alright, just be careful for mudslides.'

What a great boss. Nice of him to think of the scenarios before sending him out to patrol. He turned back to the house, knocking on the door. "Let me in, Blondie, it's a freakin' flood zone out here."

His relationship with Juliet was a strange situation. They weren't lovers, they weren't friends. Well maybe they were friends, certainly not lovers. Not that he hadn't thought about the situation. Living with a woman for six months, he'd have to be dead not to think about sex. And she was damn fine lookin'. Different from Kate.

He knew it wasn't fair to compare Juliet to Kate. Both were completely different individuals. Kate just exuded something sensual, almost dangerous. She had raced his heart and their times together just sparked this blaze inside him, peaking with desire, a bit of anger and then shame. He couldn't control himself with Kate. It was blatant need. He called it love, claimed he loved her and now as the time passed, he wondered if it was love. It was a type of love, yes. A love built on need, desperation and something in common. Kate was a woman from the same side as Sawyer. They were so alike, as if everything between them fit.

Maybe that was the problem between them. Elementary science. Magnets. Two negatives just won't attract no matter how hard you tried. A part of him still loved Kate. Loved her because she understood, she never judged him. But he also realized that she rejected her own attraction to him. Rejected everything he stood for, he represented. She never judged him, but a part of her hated him and hated what he could do to her while the other half of her loved him and couldn't bear to let go.

She was torn between Sawyer and Jack. Sawyer knew it. And he was tired of the game. So he let go. He let go and jumped off that damn helicopter into the water. The fall nearly knocked him out but he managed to swim to shore. And crawling back up onto the beach, he saw the only damn positive left on the island.

Juliet

Juliet was the complete opposite of Kate. He easily understood Kate, what made her tic, what went on inside her head, what she wanted, when she wanted it. He didn't have a damn clue when it came to Juliet. And that was a change. The con-man who made a living out of reading women and Juliet baffled him. He would look her in the eyes, challenging her and she gave nothing away, showed no weakness and he was at a loss.

She ran circles around him. She was brilliant. But not in that mad scientist kinda way. She intrigued him, a mystery. She was funny and caring and could be gentle and then tough and of course, she was gorgeous. His attraction to Juliet differed from the attraction to Kate. With Kate it was need, pure lust and desperation. With Juliet, it was … just different. He couldn't identify how it was different. He was still thinking about that part.

Oh, and she had a great rack.

Hmmm, great rack.

He pounded on the door again. "Hey, Tits. Come on. Let me in." Then grinned. That should get a rise outta her.

He was right

The door swung open and Juliet stood just beyond, eyes narrowed and piercing. Her stance defensive, shoulders tense and she snapped. "What did you call me?"

"You heard me," he teased with a grin. "Got you to open the door."

"Yeah, after the whole damn commune heard you." She swung the door closed.

Sawyer extended a foot, catching the door then yelped as the door slammed his foot. He stumbled inside, eyes on Juliet's retreating form as she took the stairs two at a time. "Damn, Blondie, tryin' to cripple me. What the hell?"

She stopped midflight then turned and stalked back down the stairs. The fight fled from her eyes replaced by sadness, tiredness and something he couldn't pinpoint. He'd never seen so many emotions before and he frowned, reaching out. She struggled with her composure but held his eyes intensely. "Look, I get it, James. You don't like me. And you'd rather be stuck here with anybody but me. I completely get that. I get that you don't trust me, that you're putting up with me and that you have me here because you'd likely kill Miles. And you're not patient enough to try to live with Jin. I get that. But can you please … just give me a break once in a while, ok?"

His frown deepened. "Hey …" but Juliet turned from him and walked back up the stairs, raking a hand through her hair. She ignored him and he lost sight of her. He scowled and walked away at the sound of her bedroom door clicking closed.

He walked up to his bedroom and silently changed for work then returned downstairs to pull on his boots that Juliet set neatly by the door. He glanced up the stairs. "I'm headin' out, Jules. I'll see you tonight." He called and she offered no immediate response. He sighed and stepped out the front door, bringing it softly to a close behind him.

Three hours later Sawyer and Miles walked along the perimeter, drenched. Sawyer glanced up at the sky and cursed then raked the slicked hair back from his eyes.

Miles watched him then sputtered some water from his lips. "Who did we piss off?"

Sawyer shrugged. "No idea. More like new guys in town get stuck traipsin' through the jungle in a god damn monsoon."

Miles grumbled and stopped under a big tree near the fence line. He leaned against it. "I could be in a dry house right now … cozying up to Agnes."

"Agnes?" Sawyer smirked. "Really … you and Agnes?"

"Well no … but I could be! You know … over there."

"Uh huh." Sawyer laughed. "Good try though. Last I saw, Agnes completely ignored you because she was batting her eyes at me."

Miles glared. "Yeah that's cuz you had ketchup on your cheek and she was wondering what the hell you were doing to get it there."

Sawyer chuckled. "Or she wanted to lick it off. Face it. Agnes ain't interested in you."

"Yeah well she's not interested in you either. So screw you, LaFleur." Miles snapped and stalked off, continuing on the route along the fence line.

"Oh come on. Relax." Sawyer laughed and followed him. He slowed and frowned. "Shit … you see that?"

Miles frowned. "Yeah it looks like the fence gave out. Oh … damn. The post sank down the hill! What the hell! Who installed the post!"

Sawyer frowned. "I don't know. What grid are we in? Six?"

"Yeah. Call it in." He said then frowned, staring out into the jungle. "You hear that?"

Miles froze, the radio in hand as he peered into the jungle. "Yeah. Wait, LaFleur? Where you going! Don't follow the noise!"

"Shut up." He hissed back over his shoulder.

Miles clenched his teeth then followed Sawyer. "Smart, boss, smart. Let's follow the creepy whispers into the damn jungle. In the monsoon. Brilliant."

"I said shut up."

Miles grumbled and stepped carefully, following Sawyer along the sloping cliff. "In the rain … the sliding mud … and he wants to cliff dive." His foot slipped but he grabbed a nearby tree root, steadying himself. "Ya know, if you get me killed … I'm haunting you. Forever."

"And if yer yap get's me killed, I'm takin' you with me."

Miles followed Sawyer down the hillside and to the ravine. He reached out to stop Sawyer. "The water." He warned, pointing to the over flowing creek, water rushing dangerously near the edge. "I think we're in hostile territory."

Sawyer nodded. "We are. I still don't see the fence post. I wonder if it washed away." He brushed the hair from his face and frowned. "I can't tell."

Miles frowned and looked across the ravine. "D'you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

A shot rang out.

Sawyer jerked, his right shoulder hit and he fell onto his back, sliding down the ravine. Miles dropped his gun and fell to his knees, grabbing Sawyer's other hand and holding him. "LaFleur." But the momentum pulled Sawyer down the ravine and to the water. He hung off the edge, feet dangling in the gushing river. He clung to Miles.

Sawyer cried out at the pain, his right shoulder exploding with pain from the bullet. His hands clung to Miles and then he reached up to grab a few vines and rocks sticking out of the side. Miles leaned over him, grabbing the waistline of his jumper and pulled hard. Sawyer rolled onto his back on the very edge of the ravine, panting in relief.

The rain continued to fall and Sawyer remained on his back, lips parted as he panted then coughed as he choked on the rain. He tilted his head to the side. "Sonuvabitch …" he reached up with his left hand, covering the bullet wound in his right shoulder. "Why am I always getting shot on this god damn island!"

Miles fell back onto his backside and propped his arms on his bent knees, head ducked as he panted. "You need to lose some damn weight!"

Sawyer sat up and pushed slowly away from the edge then unbuttoned his Dharma jump suit, exposing the shoulder with the wound. "Where are they? Are they still here?"

Miles looked across the ravine again. "I have no idea. I dropped my gun to grab your ass."

"My gun fell into the water."

Miles cursed and tried to stand but slipped and fell back onto his backside.

"Where's your radio?"

"Saw it floating down the river when I was pulling you up."

Sawyer looked to Miles, disbelief in his expression. "Yer shittin' me."

"Do I really look like I'm yanking your chain, LaFleur. Look at my face." Miles pointed to his face, his expression angry, frustrated, tired and more than a little pissed. He waited for a response.

Sawyer quirked a brow before wincing and looking at his shoulder. "Yeah, I'm sure it just makes Agnes Coo coo for your coco puffs."

"Look you know what? Find your own damn way home." He sputtered and pushed to his feet again, looking up the ridge. He jumped, trying to grab the edge to pull himself up, but couldn't reach. He paced along the length of the edge of the ravine, trying to find a place to get up.

Sawyer cried out in pain.

Miles turned quickly, rushing back. "What?" Then frowned as he watched Sawyer digging his fingers into the bullet wound. "What the hell are you doing!"

Sawyer continued to scream in pain before finally pulling the bullet out of the wound. He stared at his muddy and bloody fingers and the bullet round he held. He grumbled and threw the bullet into the water. "I had to get the bullet out."

"What the hell, man! We could have gotten back to the camp for them to do that!"

"In case you hadn't noticed, we are stuck in a ravine without our guns or our radios. We'll be lucky if we survive and the water doesn't take away this whole damn ledge." He lay on his stomach, flat in the mud and reached into the water to cup some water in his hands. He sat back and splashed it on the wound.

"Great job. Freakin' … great." Miles shook his head and stood again, pacing the length, eyeing up the ridge.

Sawyer panted, grunting in pain as he tried to push the mud away from the wound. The blood covered his shoulder and arm, staining the mud red. "Plus … the doc ain't here remember? He's stuck at one of the other stations. The Hydra?"

Miles cursed again. "Give me a boost."

"What?"

Miles sighed. "A boost, a lift. If I can get up, maybe I can pull your ass up."

Sawyer struggled to his feet, his right arm held to his side. Both he and Miles were covered head to toe in mud, the rain washing a little off here and there. He stood near the ridge where Miles was and squatted, knees bent to offer the lift. "I only got one good arm."

Miles stepped on Sawyer's thigh then grabbed a tree root and with a lunge, managed to climb up the side of the ravine and to the more stable hillside. He turned on the ledge the reached down for Sawyer, hand extended. "Come on."

Sawyer grabbed the offered hand with his good hand and tried to pull himself up. His feet slipped on the mud and it nearly pulled Miles down the ravine. Sawyer released him and shook his head. "Go … just go. I can't get up."

"I'm not leaving you behind."

Sawyer chuckled. "Don't be so sentimental."

"I'm not," Miles snapped back. "Juliet will have my head if I leave you behind."

Sawyer sighed. "In case ya hadn't noticed, I've been shot. And if I can't get up, I'm gonna freakin' die here. And I fully plan on seeing the release of Star Wars. So go … back. And get help. Before I bleed ta damn death."

Miles watched as Sawyer sat down again and huddled against the edge, trying to shelter from the rain. "Ok, hang tight."

Miles pushed up onto his feet and slowly scaled the rest of the hill, grabbing tree roots and branches to keep from slipping.

Sawyer sighed and winced, holding a muddy hand to his wounded shoulder, pressing hard. The earth beneath him shifted. He frowned and looked down, swallowing any panic. "You have got … to be kidding." He watched as the water lapped at the edge of the small lip he called safe.

Sawyer stood. "Miles! Hurry!"

Miles glanced back and twisted, eyes widening. "LaFleur!" He slid back down the hill towards Sawyer and gripped a tree to catch himself. Feet planted, he struggled to gain some balance. By the time he stood and glanced over the side, Sawyer was gone, the entire lip covered with gushing water.

Miles moved quickly, racing as fast as he could down the side in the direction of the water, eyes on the gushing stream. "Sawyer! Jim!" He scanned the water, continuing along the water. He searched frantically. Distracted, he tripped, fell and his head struck a tree root. Miles splayed out on his stomach, unconscious from the impact.

Miles slowly stirred and moaned as consciousness slowly returned. He wiped a hand over his face then pushed up. The rain slowed, now a fine mist. "LaFleur," he whispered and glanced up at the sky. Still light, but he had no idea how much time had passed. He pushed up onto his feet then staggered and dropped to his knee, holding his head. He felt the bump on his forehead.

Muttering a curse to himself he pushed to his feet again, slowly and waited for the world to stop spinning. He continued to climb the hill, back to the fence. He debated looking for Sawyer but knew he needed help.

He lost track of the time, slowly pulling himself up the rest of the hill before rolling along the flattened top and into the grass. He laughed, victoriously. He closed his eyes and took a moment to steady the spinning of his head before rolling over onto his stomach then pushing up on his hands and knees. "Ok … ok … only a mile." Then grumbled as he stood and focused forward, walking quickly back to the barracks.

The trip back took nearly an hour and he cursed the dizziness of his head. "Hey!" He called the minute the barracks came into view. "Hey!" He yelled even louder and as he walked into the area between the homes, his eyes fluttered and he collapsed. Miles panted and pushed back up onto his feet.

Horace raced from his house, obvious worry in his expression. Amy stood in the doorway of the shared home, her head tilted, concerned and confused.

The commotion outside distracted Juliet from her reading and she closed the book then dropped it on the end table before walking to the door to look outside. "Miles …" Barefoot, she raced out into the mist to his side and dropped to her knees, splashing water everywhere from the soggy ground. Concerned, worried, she touched his back and then winced at the big welt on his head. She touched it gently when he looked at her. "Miles? What happened?" Then looked around. "Where's James?"

Miles panted and sat back on his heels. "Grid six … the fence broke. Post trailed off couldn't find it. LaFleur and I went out to look. He got shot and when he fell I reached for him and we slid down the hill to the river but it was gushing. And we got stuck."

Juliet sat back, blanched white.

Miles wiped his face and continued. "He was there and then pushed me up and I got out but I couldn't get him and the water … it swept him … downstream."

Horace looked at the pale Juliet then back to Miles. He put his arm under Miles. "Come on." And helped lift the man. "Let's get you to the infirmary."

Miles shook his head. "We have to go after LaFleur."

Horace nodded slowly. "We will. But you have to go to the infirmary." When Miles resisted, Horace continued to walk. "You're hurt. We'll find him. We will." Horace glanced to his side. "Phil, take Miles to the infirmary then come back here. We need the mobile stretcher.

Phil nodded, eyes widened as he quickly took Miles and helped the man walk to the infirmary. Juliet stood and raced back into her house. Horace watched her go then quickly organized a small search party. His brow furrowed when Juliet stormed back out with boots tied tight. "Juliet. You don't have to come. You don't want to see this." He said softly, reaching out to stop her.

She stepped right to Horace, stare intense, dead panned. "Have you given up on finding him alive so soon?"

"Juliet, if he was swept away by a current … God only knows what could have happened to him. And he was shot. If we find him and if he's alive, we have to get him back here as fast as possible."

She did not back away. "And you need him stabilized. Look …" she raked a hand through her hair and whispered. "I was a doctor … back on the main land. Please … if he's alive," she swallowed hard. "You'll need me there."

Horace watched her surprised. "A doctor? Why didn't you tell me?"

"I deliver babies. I'm not a surgeon. And I saw too much death. I didn't want to do it here. But I'm coming with you. Our doctor isn't here. Please."

Horace sighed and nodded. "Alright. Go to the infirmary and pack what you might need. We'll meet back here in ten minutes."

Juliet rushed to the infirmary and found Miles. "Miles, where was he shot?"

Miles struggled on the bed against Phil but sighed when he saw Juliet and lay back. "His right shoulder. He dug the bullet out with his fingers."

"He what?"

"He dug the bullet out with his fingers." Miles clarified. "Can't get clearer than that."

Juliet sighed and walked to Miles, touching his head. "You're probably concussed." She glanced in his eyes and waved her fingers in front of his eyes, trying to test their focus. "You have to rest. That bump on your head is pretty large."

Miles licked his lips and closed his eyes. "He's alive, Juliet. That bastard is too stubborn to die."

She smiled weakly at him and walked to a nearby cabinet. She took a rubber band and tied her hair back then fished through the cabinet for immediate supplies she could think to bring.

* * *

Sawyer gasped for air as he surfaced, blinking to clear his vision. He grunted as his body smacked into a rock and then he was under water again. Surfacing again, he cursed and kicked, using his good arm to swim to the shore. The current strong, though the river so narrow. The current pulled him under again then again and he gave up trying to protect his wounded arm.

He swam, grunting against the pain he reached out, fingers gripping a tree root. He held for a few seconds, water splashing up in his face at the resistance. His fingers slipped; he released the hold. He sputtered and turned to see the direction the current carried him. Ahead, to his immediate right, a few rocks. He muttered a curse, but saw his only hope. He swam as far to the right as he could and braced for the impact against the rocks.

He closed his eyes as his body crashed into the large looming rocks and he pressed tightly against them then nearly whooped in relief as he stayed put. He reached up onto the slippery rock with his one good hand and tried desperately to find a place to grip. He muttered to himself. Then grunted and planted his feet against the underside of the rock and lifted himself out of the water.

He laughed, rolling onto his back, finally out of the water. He stared up at the sky as the rain slowed and closed his eyes, panting. "Ya know …" he addressed the sky. "I was right this mornin'. You are one Damn freakin' stupid island." He chuckled to himself and slowly sat up, hunched over as he looked around.

Good news: He was out of the water

Bad news: He was on the opposite side of the river from the barracks.

"Sonuvabitch."

He glanced to his shoulder and winced at the torn flesh and blood. He touched the bullet hole then winced. He pushed to his feet, eyes focused on the near shoreline and he leapt from his rock to the shore. His footing slipped but he reached out with his injured arm to grab the rocks of the shore. He cried out in pain but pulled himself steady and muttered a few choice curses for the mud.

He fisted some of the mud and packed it into the bullet hole. He wasn't sure if it would kill him, but hopefully it would stop the blood. Last time he bled from a bullet wound a shark nearly ate him. He didn't want to tempt fate with some boar jonzin' for human flesh.

He sighed and looked upstream then downstream then across the river. He knew he had to get across the river. It was his only chance. He opted downstream and walked slowly and carefully along the river's edge, hoping and praying for a place to cross.

As he walked, he reached up to press a hand against the wound. His eyes fluttered against the pain and he stopped walking, eyes focused ahead at a fallen tree spanning the length of the ravine. A way to cross.

Perfect. Just perfect. He rolled his eyes and walked carefully along the shoreline to the fallen tree. He dug the heel of his boot into the trunk, testing its stability. The tree recently fallen, the wood firm. He blinked. "Yeah, not happenin'." Then sat down near the log and leaned back against the muddy cliff side. He closed his eyes and sighed. Then pain overwhelming, the flesh burned. He succumbed to the pain and blacked out.

* * *

Juliet hitched the pack of supplies higher on her shoulder as she carefully navigated the edge of the hill. She knew they were in hostile territory and the security personnel with her were nervous, fingers on triggers as they looked to the woods. Jin quickly volunteered to accompany her and she was pleased with the offer, knowing Jin would not give up until he found Sawyer. Dead or Alive.

She cleared her mind of those thoughts. She would not think of him as dead. He couldn't be dead. He was the only thing keeping her sane living in 1975. They seemed to walk forever, continuing further and further downstream and with each passing foot, her stomach clenched, knowing the further he was carried, the less likely his chance of survival.

"Look!"

Juliet shook from her thoughts at Jin's words and turned her gaze where the man pointed. Across the ravine, Sawyer lay in the mud, half against the cliff side. She rushed along the ravine. "James." She whispered and scowled then looked back at Phil. "How can we get across?"

Phil frowned. "I'm not sure. We may have to wait for the water to recede."

She shook her head. "He doesn't have that time."

Jin raced to the fallen tree and stepped out, his foot on the tree. He didn't hesitate to balance and cross the tree.

Juliet held her breath, watching as Jin balanced and slowly walked across the fallen trunk. Jin jumped down on the other side and knelt by Sawyer, feeling for a pulse. He smiled and waved to Juliet. "Alive!"

Juliet laughed and choked back a sob of relief then looked at Phil. "Can you go back up stream and around? It may be easier to cross up that way."

Phil nodded. "What are you going to do?"

She smiled weakly. "Cross the tree. Hurry, Phil. Please."

Phil nodded and turned to the few other security personnel with him and the men moved quickly back upstream. Juliet sighed and steadied her nerves as she slowly crossed the trunk. She swallowed hard, feeling the trunk sway slightly with her weight. She focused at the end, outstretched her arms and cleared to the other side.

She dropped to her knees at Sawyer's side and slid the pack off her back. "James?" She reached out to touch his chest then his cheek. "James? James, open your eyes for me."

Sawyer lay, unmoving, lips parted. His breath calm and rhythmic. Jin watched Juliet, unsure what he could do to help and then decided to stand guard a little ways to the side, watching for hostiles.

Juliet took the canteen from the sack and poured the water over the bullet wound, wiping away the mud. "James. James wake up." She leaned over his body to better see the wound.

Sawyer murmured, head lulling to the side. "Juliet."

She eased back and touched his face. "James. It's me James. Open your eyes for me."

Sawyer's eyes fluttered open and he grinned. "Damn Blondie, am I dead?"

She chuckled. "Not yet."

He reached out to her, his strong hand resting on her waist. "Damn hostile shot me. Lost my gun … Miles? Where's Miles?"

Juliet pressed a calming hand against his chest. "Miles is fine. Back at the infirmary. And we're going to get you back too, ok? I just need you to stay calm."

He smirked. "Yer bedside manner … helluvalot better than Jack-o's. Just fer the record."

She smiled and shook her head at him then leaned over again to look at the bullet hole. She pulled some alcohol from the satchel and opened the bottle then poured it over the wound.

Sawyer winced and squirmed at the pain. "I take that back. Yer bedside manner sucks."

She laughed at that and took a clean cloth from the pack to wipe out the wound. "I'm sorry, I should have warned you. Easy. It's ok. Phil's coming with the stretcher. We're going to get you out of here."

"Phil? Really, Barbie? That's yer rescue party?"

She slowly shook her head and tucked the hair back around his ear. She chewed her lip, worried as she looked at the wound again. "James, I'm not a surgeon. I … I haven't sewn up a bullet wound since my internship."

Sawyer smirked. "I trust ya, Blondie. Plus … you wanna do this. Any excuse to touch me."

She laughed, relaxing at his teasing. "To touch you. To ring your neck, is more likely."

He closed his eyes and nodded. His hand slid up and around her waist, clinging to her back. "Why … am I always gettin' shot on this god damn island?"

Juliet smirked and swallowed the amusement before pressing the cloth against the wound. "Because you are always pissing people off."

"Mmm, that mean you're gonna shoot me next?"

"If you're not careful," she teased and then smirked. "You deserve it after what you called me this mornin'."

Sawyer chuckled. "Well … I wasn't lyin'."

She quirked a brow.

"Ya got a great rack."

She laughed and shook her head, feeling his forehead for fever. "You're delirious."

"Nope. Just the truth." His hand slid along her waist under her shirt and the hand splayed on her lower back.

She eyed him incredulously. "Only you would cop a feel lying half dead in the mud. Save you're stren …" she trailed off and looked at him.

Sawyer's eyes held hers as his muddy calloused fingers traced the brand on her back. His expression confused, unsure. "Juliet?"

Juliet reached back, eyes averted as she touched his hand and pushed it away. He insisted, trying to touch again but she entwined her fingers with his and pulled his hand away then pressed his hand onto his chest.

"Juliet."

She shook her head. "Don't. Just don't."

"But …"

"James … please."

He nodded slowly then licked his lips. "Later."

She glanced up at the sound of voices and sighed in relief at the sight of Phil and the other men easing down the cliff side towards them. Her gaze returned to Sawyer's and she sighed.

"Later," he repeated and gripped her hand. "Or I'll die on ya and leave ya with the hippies."

She choked back a laugh and shook her head. "Don't you die on me. You're going to be fine. I'll disinfect the wound and sew it when we get back and x-ray your ribs and you'll be good as new."

"Promise me, later."

"James …"

"Promise," he pleaded and held her eyes. "Or I'll bug the shit outta ya until ya do." Then smirked teasingly.

She sighed, resigned. "Later. When you're better."

He nodded in agreement. "I don't hate ya."

"What?"

He coughed and winced, trying to sit up. "What you said to me this morning. I don't hate ya. I haven't hated ya for a while." He leaned forward to kiss her.

Her eyes widened at the touch and he leaned into her, wrapping his lips around hers slowly. The kiss surprised her.

He pulled away and flopped down onto his back, moaning at the discomfort. "You should kiss more often. Make them lips more pliant. They'd feel better." He smirked at her playfully. He knew he caught her off guard with the kiss. Frankly, he caught himself off guard.

She blushed just slightly and rolled her eyes at his delirium. He was obviously under the stress of the gunshot and the storm, the water. She felt his forehead again, confirming her suspicions of a slight fever. She could only hope when the fever wore off, he forgot all about this day.

Chances were, she would not be that lucky.

-END-

* * *

**Author's Note:** There's another one-shot. Probably not exactly what was requested, but then again, my stories aren't exactly typical. I hope you all enjoyed it. Please review me if you did, and even if you didn't. This is the end of the story, but if I get enough reviews, I might be tempted to write the next part of the conversation. However, I think it ends nicely here, no? If anyone has any more requests or ideas for fan fictions, shoot them my way and I'll do my best to write them.


	2. Chapter 2

**Title: **Landslide

**Author: **Crimson Coin

**Rating: **T

**Pairing: **Sawyer/Juliet

**Summary: **Sawyer is injured on a patrol of the fence line and makes a startling discovery about Juliet.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own LOST or any of these characters. I just like to screw with them a little.

**Note: **So here's a second part because so many people and reviewers seemed to want a bit more closure. Hope you all enjoy and by all means, review! I love reviews! If anyone has any more ideas for one-shots, send them my way.

The Infirmary

Sawyer slowly roused, eyes fluttering and he squinted at the bright lights over his head. He shifted a little before finally forcing his eyes open. He lay on a simple cot in the infirmary, a sheet covering him to his hips, his chest bare. Tight bindings bound his shoulder and he turned his head slightly. The wound seeped, a yellowish liquid staining the cloth. He looked at the new wound then the opposite shoulder and the white puckered scar from the last gunshot wound to his shoulder.

"Hey." Juliet stood in the doorway, wearing a lab coat, her hair tied back in a sloppy bun. Arms crossed her chest, she smiled.

Sawyer faced the voice and hummed, a smirk tugging his lips. "Hey yerself."

She approached the bedside, her expression professional. She stood nearest the wounded shoulder and touched the wet gauze. "Time to change your bandage."

"I hope so. I'm leakin' yellow."

"It's not yellow. It's amber. And you're not leaking it. It's Iodine."

"Iodine?"

Juliet nodded. "It's not the choice I would have made. It may scar a bit more but it's the best and I had to be sure. You were in the woods and that water and then the mud and you dug it out with your fingers. God, James, what were you thinking?"

He watched as she peeled off the gauze. "I was thinking to get the damn thing out. I wasn't expecting to see ya so soon, Blondie."

"Why not? Did you think I would leave you there?"

"Yeah."

She frowned. "And if that were me out there. Would you have left me there?"

"No!" He answered quickly then sighed, calming. "No, I mean. I ain't exactly got the track record a watchin' people's backs."

"What do you mean?"

He shook his head. "What do ya think I mean? I ain't the kinda guy that would risk his life fer someone else. I'm out for me."

"You sure about that?" She asked gently then pressed clean gauze to the wound. "Maybe it's just me. But you jumped off of a moving helicopter to save everyone on it. You ran back onto the beach to pull me away from flying arrows and you just admitted that you would have come into the woods after me."

He winced as she pressed the gauze down then taped it to his shoulder. "Yeah well … selfish reasons too."

"Really? You jumped out of a helicopter for selfish reasons? What possible selfish reason could that be?"

He didn't answer and just rolled his eyes. "I don't know. Just seemed like a good idea at the time."

"Mmm, or you actually sacrificed yourself for someone you cared about. Don't worry though, your secret is safe with me." She teased gently and then took the dirty gauze and tape and dropped it in the trash can.

"There ain't nothin' to have a secret about. I didn't sacrifice nothin'. We all woulda died. Hell, if that was our freighter on fire, they could all be dead. It's just you an' me now, Blondie."

She sat on the side of the cot beside him and rested her hands in her lap. "Do you think they're dead?"

"I dunno. I won't say that to Jin though."

She smiled softly. "And you said you don't care about anyone."

"Hey, I don't want to see the guy takin' a swan dive off a cliff cuz he thinks his wife is dead. But … they were goin' to that freighter. And it blew up. Or at least was on fire and smokin'."

She tilted her head, watching Sawyer a long intense moment. "Jack promised me we'd get off the island. We would all leave together."

"Yeah well … Jack-o ain't always out for everybody else. He got his own self righteous attitude. Not that I'm one to preach. But I never pretended to be lookin' out for anyone else's interest."

"I saved his life," she whispered. "He was going to die. I saved his life."

"Maybe ya shouldn't have," Sawyer muttered.

Juliet watched him a moment after the comment and her eyes iced, walls erect as she stood.

Sawyer frowned, unsure of her reaction. "What? I mean yeah, I know doctors are supposed to protect life an' all but …" he trailed off as she walked to the door to leave the room. He struggled and sat up. "Juliet, wait."

She paused at the door but didn't turn around.

"Do you still love Jack?"

Her shoulders sagged slightly and she glanced back over her shoulder. "No." Her simple answer and she left the room.

He cursed and lay back again. She obviously didn't like Jack so why was she so offended? Granted, the comment was a bit off hand but if she didn't love him, what was the problem? So what if she didn't save Jack. One less ass to worry about.

He frowned. If Jack was still sick, he would have been with Juliet and too sick to reach the helicopter. Maybe died. Which meant the helicopter could have handled their weight.

He never would have jumped.

That's what upset her. If he never jumped, she'd be alone on the island. Maybe died on the beach during the storm of fire arrows. Or in the jungle with a machete to her throat. Or not managed to get the canoe into the water and if they did, would have been in the back, therefore at risk to be shot.

With those few words, he told her he wished he wasn't here. And that she was alone. And that he was with Kate.

"God Damn it," he muttered and pushed up from the bed, tossing the sheet aside. He brought a hand to his head, stilling the dizziness and then pushed to his feet. The floor cold against his bare feet, he searched the room for his clothes. Whose bright idea was it to strip him to his boxers?

He finally managed to dress and didn't bother with shoes. He walked from the room, holding the wall for support. He glanced into each room he passed and finally decided she wasn't in the infirmary. When he exited the building, he understood why the place was empty. Dawn was just starting to break.

The only light on in the commune came from his house, Juliet's bedroom. Finally across the commune, winded and tired, he climbed the stairs. Panting softly he leaned against the side of the house a moment. He hated how tired and weak he felt, but knew from past experiences it would take his body longer to recuperate than he wanted.

He turned the door knob and sighed with relief when it opened. Walking into the house, he looked around then closed the door. Continuing up the stairs, his barefoot steps quiet, he pushed open the door to her bedroom. "Juliet?"

Juliet sat on her bed and looked up at the voice, shocked. "James? What are you doing out of bed!" She stood and rushed to him.

Sawyer clung to the door knob of her bedroom and smirked, trying to appear controlled. He succeeded in swinging slightly with the door on the hinge. "I'm alright."

She slipped her arm around his waist and walked him to her bed. "Idiot. You don't have the strength to be running around like this." She settled him onto the bed and he sighed with relief, laying back.

He shifted up onto the bed, head pillowed and his eyes closed. "I was walkin' not runnin'."

She rolled her eyes and shook her head. "You really must have a death wish."

"Nope." He smirked. "You ran off before we were finished. So I came over to finish."

She sighed and checked his bandage then sat back on the bed, watching him. "There's nothing to finish."

"Course we do. Yer such a pain in the ass." He grinned at her and reached out to grab her hand before she could run. "So I say in an asshole way that ya shouldn't have saved Jack. And in what … ten seconds you went from that thought to me regretting being here."

Juliet shook her head then opened her mouth to respond.

"That ain't true," he interrupted her. "I don't regret this. Bein' here. I mean how can I regret warpin' through time only to have us threatened with machetes and shot at in a canoe then livin' in a hippy commune only to get shot again! I mean how can I ever regret that!"

She chuckled at that and shook her head. "You don't have to defend your words. If Jack wasn't on the helicopter. If he kept his word to me, I'd be stuck here now with Jack and not you."

"Would you rather have Jack here than me?"

"Would you rather have Kate here than me?"

Sawyer eyed her. "I asked first, Blondie."

Juliet sighed and looked away from him to the window. Lost in thought, she remained silent for a few minutes formulating her response. "No. I wouldn't rather have Jack here."

He frowned and sat up a little in the bed, leaning back against the headboard. "Why?"

"Because, he left me here. Knowing that, it tells you a lot about someone. It means that he may have done anything to get himself what he needed and not worried about me. Plus I wouldn't trust him to organize this kind of con … managing to get us accepted into the Dharma Initiative thirty years before our time and actually making it work."

Sawyer grinned. "Like I did."

Juliet nodded. "Yes. Like you did. That and you never left me behind. Once you returned to the island, you haven't left my side. You protected me. You came back when the flaming arrows were falling onto the beach. And you did everything when those men threatened my hand. You came to me on the docks, asking me not to go. That you needed me. You've had my back, James."

"Yeah, well, you had mine too."

She smiled softly and nodded. "Yeah. Ok now, your turn."

"I wouldn't rather be here with Kate." He admitted without hesitation. "I was always second to Jack. So if she was here, yeah we'd be together. But it'd be because I was here and he wasn't. Not cause she wanted me."

"Did you know? That she used you?"

Sawyer frowned. "I don't think she always was. But … after Jack brought you back. That's when I knew. When she had competition, then it was damn obvious. I was there to make Jack jealous. Or to make her still feel desired while Jack mooned over you."

She shrugged. "It was nice being mooned over."

"Nice bein' desired." He added then watched her a long moment. "Thanks. For stickin' with me."

She chuckled. "Where was I going to go? I wasn't exactly going to try to bond with the others. Or with the people from Dharma"

He smirked. "You could have, though. Chosen the Others. You know enough about them. You could have found Richard and talked to him. He would have let you."

"Maybe. But then who would have your back?" She stood before he could respond. "Hungry? It's been a while since you ate."

"Starved," he said with a slow grin. "What you got?"

She chuckled. "What do you want?"

He licked his lips, eyeing her up and down. "Baby back ribs. No … no how about. A cheeseburger."

She laughed. "I am not making you a cheeseburger at six o'clock in the morning. Not happening."

"Fine, what's on the menu?" He teased.

"I don't know. I have to look in the fridge." She turned from him and walked from the bedroom, leaving him alone.

Sawyer grinned and settled into the bed. He turned his head and inhaled then sighed contently. Her room smelt so good, the scent of shampoo, her lotions, something about her. It calmed him, eased the tension in him. Turned him on too, but he didn't want to dwell on that now.

At one time, her presence rattled him, made him nervous and uneasy. Distrustful, he kept her at arm's length. The more time he spent with her though, especially now, the more he thought about why she rattled him.

The first time he saw her, he was running from the polar bear cage and she distracted him. So he turned to look and instead of defend himself, he checked her out. He checked … her out.

Sawyer grinned at the memory. He remembered as she stepped from the woods and he thought '_Damn …_' So of course, distracted, she had the upper hand. Tasered, grounded, dragged and back in the cage. And all because he had to check out the random hot chick that suddenly emerged from the jungle. Like he shouldn't have known better that anyone he met was likely an Other.

Nope, he didn't think that. After all, when a hot woman walks out of the jungle while you're trying to escape imprisonment, who doesn't think of having sex with her?

Sawyer chuckled and settled into the bed, and shrugged out of the jumpsuit, finally stripping back down to his boxers. He kicked the suit to the end of the bed then slipped under the sheets. Arms tucked behind his head, he stared at the ceiling.

Then the taser incident, the shooting Kate thing, the nearly getting killed thing, betraying the camp to the others thing, Ben's spy, completely emasculating him in front of Sayid and then shacking up with Jack – with whom he was certain she was having sex – it just pushed all those nagging initial desires to the back of his mind. Recently, those nagging desires resurfaced. The more he focused on them the more he realized the real reason she rattled him.

She rattled him because despite all the bad blood, he always desired her. It didn't matter she threatened Kate, threatened him, was a spy, even hated him. He desired her then too. She intrigued him, was so different. Maybe even a challenge. He never hated her; he hated what she did to him. She could disarm him with a look. And even now where they posed no threat to each other, she still rattled him. That's how he knew. He didn't fear her or hate her. On the contrary, he felt this primitive need to protect her. He wanted her.

Juliet walked back into the room carrying a tray. A bowl setting in the center steamed. Beside the bowl was a small glass of orange juice. He grinned. "What do we have here?"

"Oatmeal. With brown sugar and a little milk." She sat on the bed and laughed at his unimpressed face. "We only have four eggs and six strips of bacon left and I'm not wasting it on your stomach."

"Wasting it on my stomach? What the hell does that mean?"

She set the tray on the bed stand. "It means that you haven't eaten in so long and your body is in trauma and you might not be able to keep down something like bacon or butter from the eggs. So you need something filling to give you energy. Starch." She pointed to the oatmeal. "If you can keep this down, I'll make you pork chops tonight."

He smirked. Pork chops were his favorite. "Where'd you get pork chops? I thought meat was low until next week when they slaughter the cow."

She chuckled. "I hid them in the back of the freezer."

"Alright so if I eat the gruel and keep it down. I get pork chops. Do I get a back rub too?"

"Don't push your luck." She retorted. "Sit up a bit." She leaned over him and gripped around his back to try and ease him up in the bed. "I notice how you just made yourself at home in my bed." She teased.

His eyes fluttered as she leaned close and he resisted the urge to close the little distance between them and press his lips to her throat. So smooth, the tendons strained as she tried to lift him a little. It could be so easy to pull her closer, nibble the tension away. He wondered if she'd pull away, maybe slap him. Maybe run from the house. He didn't want her to run again.

His elbow bent nearest her, his hand gripping her waist as he shifted with her into a sitting position. He didn't move his hand when she sat back and grabbed the bowl. His hand tightened to keep her from leaving and Juliet glanced at his hand, brow quirked a moment. She didn't question him and instead stirred the porridge then fed him.

"I can probably feed myself ya know."

"Probably," she responded then smirked. "I don't trust you to eat it. I'll come up here tonight to find the oatmeal under my bed because you'd rather have pork chops than oatmeal. And you'd put off eating until tonight to get it."

He scowled as he took a bite.

She chuckled at his expression. "Don't look at me like that. I know you, James. And no, this wasn't in your file. I just know you." She offered him another bite then another. So gentle and tender with him, caring and compassionate.

"I'm sorry," he admitted. "For bein' an ass to you. The last few months. Ya didn't deserve it."

She never met his eyes, but continued to feed him. "Then why did you?" Eyes on his mouth, the bowl, his mouth again, never his eyes.

"Well …" he took the last bite then licked his lips as he watched her put the bowl aside. "Yer so damn sexy when you're angry."

She blinked, her expression incredulous. "So you pissed me off all the time because it made me sexy?"

He chuckled. "Not all the time."

"So you were rude and tracked mud in the house and left your dirty laundry on the bathroom floor and left dishes in the sink and accidently lost my book on a few occasions just to get a rise out of me. Because it made me sexy."

He winced slightly. "Guess it sounds kinda stupid when ya put it like that."

"Yes, it is kind of stupid." She stood and her eyes shown with the slightest hurt, the rest she masked well. "You went out of your way to make my life hell. And what, am I not sexy enough, just me. For you? Of do you feed off of other people's misery?" She raked a hand through her hair, looked away then back to him. "I'm sorry, that wasn't fair."

He reached for her, fingers brushing her hip.

She stepped back from him and put the bowl on the tray. She placed the orange juice on the bed stand then without a word, walked from the room with the tray.

He muttered a curse as she walked away from him. She always ran from confrontation and there was only so far he could follow her. Especially now. Weak and tired. And he probably needed a shower. And he had to pee.

He struggled to sit up and rolled his shoulder, glaring at the wound. He heard the front door open then close. Kate ran, Juliet ran. Did all women run? He pushed to his feet and walked from her bedroom. Retrieving a pair of boxers from his bedroom, he walked into the bathroom. Relieving himself then brushing his teeth, he turned on the shower.

He peeled the tape and gauze off his shoulder and looked at the stitches. He'd just keep them as dry as he could. He stepped into the shower and sighed. The warmth soothed his muscles especially his back. He tilted his head back, letting the water slick through his hair. He felt filthy and knew he likely was from the mud. He ducked his head and rubbed a hand over the bruises on his chest. Those likely were caused when he was swept down river, slamming into those damn rocks.

He sighed contently and washed his hair, wincing slightly as the movement tugged on his stitches. He avoided getting them too wet but made sure to rinse away any and all soap. He leaned against the side of the shower, feeling a little dizzy and rubbed his head, eyes closed.

He willed the dizziness away and finished washing before turning off the shower. He raked his hair back and pulled open the curtain.

"James?"

He smiled at Juliet's voice, likely coming from her bedroom down the hall. "Yeah." He called and then grabbed a towel from the towel rack and dried his hair then down his body, careful at the wound then down and around his hips.

She knocked on the bathroom door. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, Blondie just fine. Was sick a bein' filthy."

"What? Oh God, don't tell me you showered!"

He tugged his clean boxers up then opened the door. "Yeah, why?"

Juliet stood outside the bathroom, eyes wide, expression worried. "James, you're not supposed to get the wound wet for forty eight hours. It could get infected." She glanced quickly around the bathroom. "Did you take off the bandage?"

"Yeah." He frowned.

She raked a hand through her hair. "So you did this to piss me off too! Do I look sexy to you now?"

His frown deepened. "No, I … well yes, you look sexy. But I didn't do this to piss you off. I didn't know. I felt so stanky, I just wanted to shower. I didn't know, Blondie, I swear it."

She appraised him a long moment and then sighed and nodded, obviously believing him. "It's fine. Just … come on."

It surprised him when she took his hand but he followed her back to her bedroom. He sat on the bed again and waited. He frowned when she left the room.

She returned within the minute with more gauze, tape and a tube of ointment. She sat beside him on the bed on the side closest the wound. She inspected the wound a moment then reached over to her dresser to grab her hair brush. "Here" she handed it to him then pointed to his hair. "Rake that out."

He smiled using his good hand and arm to comb his hair. Juliet reached out with a clean piece of gauze and patted the wound, ensuring all the water soaked from the stitches and the skin. He swallowed hard and licked his lips.

Brow furrowed in concentration, she placed that gauze aside then squeezed some of the ointment onto another clean gauze. She worked carefully and thoroughly, drawing the ointment over the stitches from the center out, covering the entire length. A third clean gauze then covered the wound and she taped it down securely. "Please, don't do that again. It can still get infected even after it's stitched. Wait at least forty eight hours now." When he remained silent she looked up at him. "James, did you hear …" she trailed off, holding his eyes.

Sawyer watched her with a burning intensity and licked his lips. He did not give her the chance to feel nerves, uncertainty or to run. He cupped her cheek with his good hand, twisted and pressed his lips to hers.

She tensed at the kiss and remained still, resisting him.

He leaned closer, lips teasing and coaxing and he held back his moan of triumph when her lips softened against his and pursed slightly.

She pulled back quickly though and licked her lips, standing. "You need to rest."

His eyes focused on her, intense and lust-filled as he leaned back with her coaxing. She reached over to pull the sheets up again. His abdomen contracted and he grabbed her, arm around her waist, his other hand reaching up to her arm and he caught her by surprise.

He dragged her across his body and shifted with her. He grinned from his position, hovering over her as she lay on her back on the bed. He licked his lips, memorizing her shocked expression. "Didn't think I had the strength in me, huh?"

Her expression worried, shocked, confused, her hands gripped his arms tightly at first then released. She touched the bandage. "James, what are you doing? You're going to pull a stitch."

"Yer worth pullin' a stitch." Before she could object again, he kissed her, pressing closer. She resisted a moment, pushing back at his chest but as soon as she pushed, her one hand snuck around his back to pull him closer. Her other hand snaked up to rake through his hair, pulling him more firmly into her.

His body surged when she fully returned his kiss with hunger, desire and emotions she kept so forcefully masked that when she finally released, he felt to drown in them. He never knew her capable of such intensity and he devoured it.

Her hands toyed with the hair on the back of his neck then slid down his back then up again. He growled against her lips, his lips and tongue teasing and toying with her. His hand roamed her side then slipped under her back to pull her more firmly against him. Her leg bent, heel pressed firmly into the bed and her back arched; his hand splayed on her lower back and he felt the scar again.

She tensed and pushed back from him, breaking the kiss. Her eyes dazed with passion for only a moment and he groaned at the sight.

She licked her lips and looked away from him to control herself. She squirmed from him, reaching behind her to touch his hand at her back.

His hand splayed, pressed firmly there and he ducked his head to kiss her ear, slowly, teasing, his tongue tracing patterns on the shell.

Her eyes closed and she shivered, hands tightening on the muscles of his back. Her voice choked with restrained desire, laced with uncertainty. "Your stitches." She breathed.

"Show me," he husked in her ear, fingers outlining the outer pattern of the scar on her back. "I want to see it. And I'm not dropping this."

She shivered, resisting his request and his attentions to her ear continued. Her stomach clenched, desire mounting but she was not ready to cave to that need. Resigned, she sighed and pushed him once more. He relented and lifted up, watching her intensely. She avoided his eyes and turned away from him, lying on her stomach. She turned her head away from him, pillowing her head on crossed arms, staring at the opposite wall.

He paused, waiting to see any reaction. When she did not move, he looked at her back and slowly lifted the bottom of her shirt up to her waist. His head tilted as he looked intensely. Fingers reached out, gently stroking the outline of the scar, tracing the pattern.

She tensed.

He noted her tension, her discomfort. "They did this." He stated more than asked. "The Others."

She nodded slowly.

"Why? Do they do this to everyone?"

She swallowed hard. "No. Just the murderers spared execution." Her voice bitter, laced with rage.

He blinked a few times then leaned closer to her. His words a warm whisper on her back. "I did this."

"No."

"Yes," he reaffirmed. "You helped me." He whispered then ducked his head. His lips pressed to the very top of the scar. As her body tensed, his hand gripped her waist, holding her steady, thumb brushing gently along the skin. His lips pursed again and again as he kissed down the length of the brand, his tongue swirling at each point, claiming, soothing.

The tension oozed from her body and she trembled, lifting up a little to glance back over her shoulder. "James?" Her words breathless. "James, what are you doing?"

He glanced up at her, his hair falling a little into his eyes. His expression sensual, seductive and desired. "Ain't it obvious?"

She licked her lips nervously. "Why?"

He held her eyes as he placed a slow and final kiss to the center of the scar. "I'm claimin' it. Now when you see it, you won't think of what they did … you'll think of what I just did." He grinned at that and licked his lips, eyes intent as he slowly lowered the shirt again. He ducked his head and kissed a slow trail over her shirt up her spine.

She closed her eyes and turned on the bed, lying on her back. She watched him, unsure, her back still tingling from his kisses. "What are we doing?" She finally asked.

"Well," he glanced casually around the room and then back to her. "I do believe we're lying on your bed. It's a nice bed." He grinned at her and rested a hand on her stomach.

She licked her lips, eyes on his mouth a moment before her brow furrowed and she looked away and to the ceiling. "I couldn't bring you to your room. Your bed is unmade and the sheets need washed. When was the last time you washed them?"

He shrugged. "I give up. When?"

She rolled her eyes. "Three weeks maybe? At least?"

"I'm starting to like your bed better."

She remained silent a moment then sat up. Her knees bent as she rubbed her eyes and brow.

He reached out, his fingers sliding along her back again, reaching under to touch the skin though he did not touch the scar. "Juliet."

She swallowed her nerve and turned her head, looking over her shoulder at him. Her confusion evident in her expression, unsure and uncertain of her own desires, her wants.

"How about we don't think anymore? This is all new for me too. I ain't got the best track record with women. I got a long resume … and I was the man all their mamas warned them about."

"Are you still?"

He held her eyes and smiled sadly. "I don't know."

She nodded slowly and watched him. "I wouldn't have believed you if you said 'No'." She sighed. "James, I'm tired of being hurt."

"I'm gettin' kinda tired a hurtin' people. Well some people."

She smirked at that and shook her head. "Some people?"

"Yeah." He smiled and sat up, wincing at his shoulder. His hand abandoned her to reach up to hold the wound.

"Here," she reached to him. "Lay down." She coaxed and he obeyed her guiding hands, lying on his back. She took his hand from the wound. "Does it itch?"

"A little."

"That's good. It means it's healing." She smiled softly at him. "Don't scratch it."

Again, his hand slid around her waist to coax her down beside him. She sighed and settled down beside him, her head pillowed on his good shoulder as her hand reached over to rest over the wound on the opposite side.

"What did you think of? When you were out there alone?"

He wrapped his arm around her, holding her close. "How much I hated hippyville." He grinned at that. "And that I just wanted to be anywhere but here. But then thought if I wasn't here, I didn't have anywhere else to go."

"You could go home."

"What's home, Blondie? I ain't got family, no friends. I'm a criminal. I'm a murderer, a con-man, a low life. What is there back in the real world for me?"

She shrugged casually. "What's there for me? My sister thinks I'm dead. If not dead, a missing persons. My career is over because how do I explain where I was and what I was doing all this time. But that doesn't mean I still don't dream of going home."

"Maybe. But here, I got a purpose. I actually got a job. I mean … that's so weird to me. I guess when I was layin' out there I realized somethin' pretty shocking."

"What's that?"

"Crashin' on this damn island is probably the best thing that ever happened to me."

She laughed. "Really? I think it's the worst thing that ever happened to me?"

He frowned at that. "The worst?" His arm around her slackened a little.

She lifted up as the pressure released and she searched his expression. "There may be some redeeming moments. Like now." She smiled a bit sadly and reached up to stroke his cheek. "How is it the best for you?"

"Because here … I actually matter. In the real world, I'm trash. Dispensable. A plague. Here? Here I'm god damn superman." He smirked at her.

"You're not trash," she defended vehemently, eyes focused on him. "Don't say that. You're so far from that description, James."

He shrugged casually. "Eh, maybe. I don't know. Why is it the worst for you?"

"It's the worst because I've been a prisoner for three years." She admitted. "And now, stuck in this time, I'm still a prisoner."

"Am I your new warden?"

She searched his gaze a long moment before shaking her head. "No. You just … break everything inside me until I don't know what I'm feeling. I've never been so disarmed."

"Yeah, well you do the same to me." He whispered and his eyes focused on her mouth. He licked his lips. "In the jungle, I thought about women. Well one woman. And it wasn't Kate."

She swallowed hard and willed the racing of her heart to slow. "It wasn't Kate?"

He shook his head. "No. Kate was the furthest thing from my mind. I thought I was gonna die before I could do this." His abdomen contracted slightly to lift himself up for his lips to capture hers.

Her walls crashed and she leaned into him, pressing close as she kissed him with sweet abandon. "Promise me," she whispered. "This is no game."

He growled. "It ain't a game, Baby, I've wanted this for months."

"Why?"

"I don't know. I can't get you outta my head. And that ain't a bad thing."

She cupped his cheeks. "I swear to God, if you play me … you will think the taser was a love tap."

He grinned at her threat. "If it turns you on. What am I gonna play you for? You got fifty bucks to yer name, sweetheart. And I could sleep with anybody on this island if that's all I wanted. I ain't good at this, but I swear to whatever God yer swearin' to, I'm gonna try."

He hummed in delight when she kissed him and his arms snaked around her back to hold her close. He was used to rocky rides with women and he knew Juliet would be the same. But she was worth it. In the past, he never finished the ride. This time would be different. He had her and he would never let go.

-End-

(( For Real this time ))


End file.
